LCM
Lost circulation material (LCM)
Lost circulation material is added to drilling fluid to bridge and seal the fractures and pores that are taking mud from the well. Galaxy Drilling Fluids Pvt Ltd supplies 10 LCM products: 9 for water-based mud, most of them in coarse, medium and fine grades, and 1 treated fibre for oil-based mud.
Matching the material to the loss
Particles need to be sized against the openings they are meant to bridge, so a mix of sizes and shapes usually works better than one alone. Granules such as walnut shell wedge into fractures, flakes such as mica and calcium carbonate flakes lay across openings, and fibres mat together to form a seal. GS K Seal is a ready-made blend of all three, covering a wide range of crack widths in one addition.
Protecting the reservoir
In a pay zone, the bridging material may have to come out again. GS Carb and Gel Flake are acid-soluble calcium carbonate, and GS White, a ground marble, is a bridging agent for drill-in and completion fluids.
When bridging is not enough
Severe or total losses may call for a high fluid-loss plug rather than LCM in the active system. Those products are listed under Loss Circulation.
Product designations and classifications are those of the manufacturer. Descriptions explain the function of the chemistry and are not performance specifications. Technical data sheets and certificates of analysis are issued with quotation. Galaxy Drilling Fluids Pvt Ltd is a supplier of these products.
Products in this range
Water Based 9
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GS Carb (C/M/F)Iraq priority
Sized calcium carbonate
Graded limestone. Plugs pores and small cracks, and dissolves in acid so it can be cleaned out of the pay zone.
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Gel Flake (C/M/F)Iraq priority
Sized acid-soluble calcium carbonate flakes
Flat limestone flakes. Bridge across wider cracks quickly. Acid-soluble.
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GS White (C/M/F)
Sized ground marble
Graded ground marble. Bridging agent for drill-in and completion fluids.
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GS Nut Plug (C/M/F)Iraq priority
Sized walnut shells
Graded walnut shell. Hard granules that wedge into fractured rock.
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GS Mica (C/M/F)Iraq priority
Sized mica
Graded mica flakes. Seal seepage and partial losses, usually blended with others.
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GS Graphite (C/M/F)Iraq priority
Sized resilient graphite
Springy graphite. Squeezes into a crack and reseals when pressure changes.
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GS K Seal (C/M/F)Iraq priority
Sized blended fibres, granules and flakes
Ready-made blend of fibre, granule and flake – covers a wide range of crack widths in one addition.
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GS LC Seal (C/M/F)Iraq priority
Sized LCM fibres
Graded fibres that mat together to form a seal.
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GS LCM PIraq priority
Shredded cellulose fibres
Shredded cellulose fibre. Economical bulk material for sweeps and routine treatment.
Oil Based 1
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GS LC Seal TIraq priority
Treated LCM fibres
Fibres treated so they seal losses without upsetting the oil-mud emulsion.
Frequently asked questions
What is lost circulation material?
Lost circulation material, or LCM, is solid material added to drilling fluid to bridge and seal openings that are taking mud from the well. Galaxy Drilling Fluids Pvt Ltd supplies calcium carbonate, marble, walnut shell, mica, graphite, fibres and blended LCM.
What do C, M and F mean on an LCM grade?
They stand for coarse, medium and fine, the particle size grades of a product. In this range, grades such as GS Carb (C/M/F) and GS Nut Plug (C/M/F) come in all three, so that the size can be matched to the openings being sealed.
Which LCM is acid-soluble?
Calcium carbonate is acid-soluble, which allows it to be cleaned out of the pay zone. Galaxy Drilling Fluids Pvt Ltd supplies it as GS Carb (C/M/F), a graded limestone, and Gel Flake (C/M/F), flat limestone flakes that bridge across wider cracks.
Is there an LCM for oil-based mud?
Yes. GS LC Seal T is made of fibres treated so that they seal losses without upsetting the oil-mud emulsion. Galaxy Drilling Fluids Pvt Ltd supplies it in its Oil Based division.